RP-020 — Guidelines on the Licensing Process and Spectrum Release Plan (2001 Edition)

Annex 1

List of frequency bands and radio applications where the first-come, first-served (FCFS) licensing process applies

1. FCFS licensing for most point-to-point microwave bands (urban and rural areas)

   FCFS licensing for most point-to-point microwave bands (urban and rural areas)

   Band	Range	Status
   900 MHz (STL)	953–960 MHz	Ongoing licensing
   900 MHz	(bands outlined in SP-896)	" "
   Lower 2 GHz	1700–1850 MHz	Restricted licensing9
   Upper 2 GHz	2025–2110/ 2200–2285 MHz
   4 GHz	3500–3700 MHz	Restricted licensing10
   	3700–4200 MHz	Ongoing licensing
   	4545–4705/ 4735–4895 MHz	Restricted licensing11
   Lower 6 GHz	5850–5915 MHz	Ongoing licensing12
   Lower 6 GHz	5925–6425 MHz	Ongoing licensing
   Upper 6 GHz	6425–6930 MHz	" "
   TV-Pick-up	6930–7125 MHz	" "
   7 GHz	7125–7725 MHz	" "
   8 GHz	7725–8275 MHz	" "
   8 GHz (video)	8275–8500 MHz	" "
   10 GHz	10,5–10,68 GHz	" "
   11 GHz	10,7–11.7 GHz	" "
   14 GHz	14.5–15,35 GHz	" "
   18 GHz	17.7–18.14/ 19.26–19.7 GHz	" "
   	18.58–18.82/ 18.92–19.16 GHz	" "
   23 GHz	21,8–22,4/ 23–23,6 GHz	" "
   38 GHz	38,4–38,6 GHz	Ongoing licensing13
   	38.6–38.7/ 39.3 - 39.4 GHz	" "
   	39.1–39.3/ 39.8–40.0 GHz	" "

2. FCFS licensing for certain MCS bands in rural areas

   FCFS licensing for certain MCS bands in rural areas

   Band	Range	Status
   900 MHz (WLL)	953–960 MHz	Ongoing licensing
   900 MHz	(see SP-896 , also available in Urban areas)	" "
   1.4 GHz (SRS)	1427–1452/ 1492–1518 MHz (incl. Urban)	" "
   2 GHz	2025–2110/ 2200–2285 MHz	Ongoing licensing14
   3.4 GHz (FWA)	3400–3550 MHz (rural high-cost serving areas)	FCFS licensing15
   10.5 GHz (MCS)	10.5–10.68 GHz (incl. urban)	Ongoing licensing

3. FCFS licensing in conventional land mobile bands in rural and urban areas

   FCFS licensing in conventional land mobile bands in rural and urban areas

   Band	Range	Status
   50 MHz	(bands outlined in SP 30–896  MHz)	Ongoing licensing
   150 MHz	138–174 MHz (refarming)16	" "
   450 MHz	406–430\ 450–470 MHz (refarming)16	" "
   800/900 MHz	(bands outlined in SP - 896)	" "

4. FCFS licensing for national/regional frequencies unlikely to exceed supply

   FCFS licensing for national/regional frequencies unlikely to exceed supply

   Band	Range	Status
   900 MHz - PCS (narrowband)	901–902/ 930–931/ 940–941 MHz	Ongoing licensing
   900 MHz Paging	929–930/ 931–932 MHz	" "

5. All earth stations licensed in Canadian satellite bands (mobile and fixed satellites)

Annex 2

List of spectrum resources for competitive licensing process (auction or comparative)

Competitive licensing - indications are that demand will likely exceed available spectrum. Refer to section 4 of this document for more details.

1. Spectrum for narrowband/wideband wireless access service

   Fixed wireless access spectrum for urban and rural areas in part of the band 3400–3700  MHz and all of the band 2305–2320  MHz and 2345–2360  MHz. For more information, see Consultation on the Auction of Spectrum Licences for Wireless Communication Services in the 2300 MHz Band and Fixed Wireless Access in the 3500 MHz Band released August 3, 2001.

2. Spectrum for broadband wireless access

   Some of the bands to be considered include 18 GHz, 23 GHz, 25/26 GHz and other bands under development.

3. Satellite orbital positions and associated spectrum

   The licensing of the fixed-satellite orbital position at 114.9°W in the C/Ku bands will be initiated after receiving an expression of interest. For the allotment plan bands, the Department may include these as part of another licensing process or they may be subject to a stand alone licensing process.

   There are two orbital locations remaining for the fixed-satellite service in the Ka multimedia band. For the orbital positions at 107.3°W, licensing has been initiated and the licensing for the remaining orbital location at 118.7°W will be initiated after receiving an expression of interest.

   The remaining DBS satellite orbital positions at 72.5°W, 129°W and 138°W will be licensed upon receiving an application from an eligible entity. The Department will establish interest through a call for expressions of interest or call for applications.

4. Spectrum for advanced mobile services including 3G

   Additional spectrum is being considered in the bands 1710–1850 MHz and 2110–2150 MHz based on the work plan described in section 4.4.

Note: These Annexes are an overview only and reference should be made to the spectrum policies, system standards and operating procedures applicable to each band. Some bands are being reviewed through public consultation. Some information may have been inadvertently omitted. Some bands and situations may be subject to competitive licensing due to demand and other factors.

¹ A Spectrum Policy Framework for Canada, September 1992 and Framework for Spectrum Auctions in Canada, August 1998.

² Notwithstanding the licensing process guidelines indicated in section 3, the Department may change the mentioned licensing process at any time with appropriate notice to affected parties, including the licensing process indicated for the frequency bands and spectrum resources mentioned in Annexes 1 and 2.

³ Narrowband/Wideband wireless access services in this document is intended to characterize services in the frequency bands generally below 10 GHz. In the lower frequency bands, the available spectral bandwidth is typically less and radio signal propagation is greater for a given power level which yields a relatively lower density in terms of Mbps per user per square kilometre.

⁴ Broadband wireless access in this document is intended to characterize spectrum in the higher frequency bands generally above 10 GHz where the available bandwidth is typically greater and propagation is less which yields a higher density in terms of Mbps per user per square kilometre.

⁵ In the graphs throughout this document the Department has identified where possible the relative amounts of spectrum resources:

• Licensed Spectrum denotes resources which are available for licensing on a FCFS basis or have been licensed through a competitive process;
• Future Licensing denotes resources which are allocated in the Canadian Table of Frequency Allocations and designated for a type of use in Canada according to a Spectrum Utilization Policy; and
• Allocation/Designation denotes resources which have been the subject of international developments or the subject of ITU Allocations and a candidate for future consultation for use in Canada.

⁶ Other assignment processes such as FCFS may be considered for 24 and 38 GHz spectrum in certain areas, e.g. remote and rural areas of Canada, if there are no competing demands for spectrum properties unassigned at the close of the auction in December 1999.

⁷ Part of the Ku band allotment plan spectrum is presently in use to provide mobile satellite feeder links to Canada's MSAT satellite. (Reference RP-002 section 4.1)

⁸ Please refer to question 57 in Amendments and Supplements and Clarification Questions to the Policy and Licensing Procedures for the Auction of Additional Spectrum in the 2 GHz Frequency Range.

⁹ Restricted use by fixed systems. Refer to SP 1–3 GHz.

¹⁰ New assignments of channels in the band 3500–3700 MHz for existing 4 GHz microwave radio relay systems (p-to-p) or international fixed-satellite gateways will be restricted to existing installations, and new licence applications will be considered only on a case-by-case basis. Refer to. Consultation on the Auction of Spectrum Licences for Wireless Communication Services in the 2300 MHz Band and Fixed Wireless Access in the 3500 MHz Band released August 3, 2001, section 4.4

¹¹ See SP 1–20 GHz Revisions to Microwave Spectrum Utilization Policy and Standard Radio Systems Plan (SRSP) for the restriction.

¹² Subject to future review for possible addition of Intelligent Transport System (ITS) requirements.

¹³ The band 38.4–38.6 GHz is designated for one-way point-to-point and multipoint systems and 600 MHz is designated for point-to-point microwave system for shared block/area licensing on a managed FCFS basis. See the Policy and Licensing Procedures for the Auction of the 24 and 38 GHz Frequency Bands.

¹⁴ For further information on revised policy, see new SP 1–3 GHz.

¹⁵ See Consultation on the Auction of Spectrum Licences for Wireless Communication Services in the 2300 MHz Band and Fixed Wireless Access in the 3500 MHz Band released August 3, 2001.

¹⁶ The implementation of new land mobile systems in the 150 MHz and 450 MHz bands is subject to the spectrum efficiency requirements of the Redeployment Plan.